


Stay by my Side ～そばに行ってくれ

by SilveryWind



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ash works himself ragged to a point of becoming ill and Eiji has to take care of him essentially, Domestic Fluff, Fever, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sickfic, Vomiting, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-08-26 15:43:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16684441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilveryWind/pseuds/SilveryWind
Summary: *Set sometime during Episode 12/13.Not even the strongest are immune to illness. Ash Lynx finds this out the hard way after days of exhaustion and stress finally catch up to him. Thankfully, Eiji is there to lend a supportive hand.Chapter 1: Ash overworks himself and ends up waking in a feverish nightmare haze. *Emeto-warning!Chapter 2: Eiji tests his housewife skills and cooks a dish of nutritious okayu.Chapter 3: Eiji tries to find ways to bring down Ash's temperature and clothes him in one of his old oversized sweaters as a result.





	1. Herbal Tea

Nurture made Ash ruthless and wild, until he wasn’t. 

A flaming blush spread itself across Ash’s face like a wildfire from the ears downwards. The violent shade of red in contrast to his pale pallor caused Eiji to lean in close to Ash's face and press a palm against both foreheads to check the difference in temperature. It only served to redden the crimson flush on Ash’s cheeks further. 

With a sharp, “tsk” and muttering under his breath, Eiji briefly left the spacious New-York apartment bedroom and returned with a thermometer in hand. 

“37.9℃”. 

It had happened the night before. 

Returning far past the realm of hazy daylight and into the early hours, Ash made no point of getting any rest and continued outlining plans to track Banana Fish and outsmart Dino as soon as he hung up his jacket on the coat-rack. Eiji only wondered when the last time Ash was able to take a much-needed rest was. It seemed as though Ash never slept, never felt that he needed to. Possibly, that he felt that he didn’t deserve to, was something that Eiji thought. 

Sensing a familiarly warm presence, Ash tilted his head upwards from his current typing position and glanced to the space in which Eiji’s dimly lit silhouette stood in the living room. Rain pelted on the windows adding to the tranquil ambiance.

“Ash. You should come to bed” 

“I’m fine Eiji, go back to sleep”

Eiji knew that getting the blonde to take a breather was impossible, not when Banana Fish and Dino weighed heavily upon his mind. Rather than head back to bed, Eiji sat beside Ash and entertained himself with thoughts of his home-country. Just by having Eiji nearby, Ash was able to release a deep sigh of relief that he didn’t realise he was holding. Recently things had been tough. Ever since losing Shorter and the return from California, Ash had been thrown into a never-ending cycle of “work” that comes with being gang-boss. Eiji, too, was constantly on his toes photographing those walking into the Corsican Foundation-owned office building and gathering Intel from the safety of the complex. Ash’s gang members had long already retreated for the night, leaving the two in complete stillness and silence, albeit from the mechanical sounds of Ash typing on the computer keyboard and the rain outside. 

*Hrkshuu*

Eiji wasn’t sure when he’d drifted off but hearing Ash sneeze had clearly jolted him awake. 

“Ash, you’ll catch a cold working yourself like this.”

Silence. 

“Ash.” 

Taking no notice, Ash continued to type codes and foreign-looking letters, never turning his gaze once from the brightly lit computer screen.

Ash looks a few shades paler than before and Eiji feels the urge to comment when suddenly Ash suppresses a tremble and Eiji almost wants to wrap his arms around Ash’s lithe frame. 

“Ash?” 

“Shut it-“

Instinctively holding an arm to touch the younger boy, Ash immediately swats it away and instead turns to face Eiji with a soft expression of forgiveness. 

“Sorry, Eiji.”

However, with Ash’s guard temporarily down, Eiji takes his chance and presses the back of his palm flat against Ash’s forehead, using the other hand to pin Ash’s arms down in attempt to stop him from lashing out. 

“As I thought, you have a fever. Stay right there.”

“I’m fine Eiji.”

Eiji fetches in a soft and striped woolen blanket and drapes it across Ash’s shoulder, hoping to at least ease some of Ash’s trembling. 

Shivering, Ash draws the blanket closer into him, hoping to block out the cold and retain body heat. It is the middle of the night after all; why shouldn’t it be cold?  
Eiji busies himself once again, but this time to make two mugs of steaming mugs of herbal tea in the adjacent kitchen, steeping the tea leaves just enough for a subtle, deep flavour. He figures that if Ash doesn’t want to sleep then he shouldn’t either. If you can’t beat them, may as well join them.  
Sometime later, they both wind up in the bedroom, too exhausted to stay awake any longer. Eiji silently thanks the tea and immediately settles down under the warmth of the plush heavy duvet. 

\--

Eiji wakes to the sound of pitiful dry retching and choked sobs coming from the nearby bathroom. Hazily flicking on the bedside lamp, he immediately sees the empty bed beside him, puts two and two together and rushes to the bathroom. 

“EIJI?!” 

Eiji seats himself firmly behind Ash and finally falling prey to a brief respite of weakness, the lynx allows Eiji to run his fingers gently through long ashen strands. As Eiji continues, Ash groans softly, almost mewls at the touch and his shoulders untense. 

“Can you stand?” 

The blonde weakly shakes his head, golden hair flaying at the motion. 

“I don’t think I’m done yet”

“Let me help you” 

“Eiji- What are you-?”

Eiji coiled his fingers around Ash’s jaw and lightly traced the outline of soft, plush lips. 

“Open your mouth” 

At first repulsed and then indignant, Ash couldn’t make sense of Eiji’s request until he felt another urge arise to choke on his own spit and quickly braced himself against the ring of toilet seat. After a few heavy gulps and deep breathing, frustratingly, nothing came up and Ash still felt as nauseous as ever.

Ash was strong, the strongest person Eiji had ever met. His eyes ablaze with determination, passion and anger were akin to that of the mightiest of gladiator; no, even stronger, an untamed beast with relentless force and vengeance to pursue. Seeing him in this weakened state tugged greatly on Eiji’s heart strings and made him wince in sympathy. 

“It’s dirty”

“It’s not”. 

Finally allowing himself a much-needed reprieve, Ash hesitantly opened his mouth as Eiji gingerly pushed two digits inside. Feeling Ash’s throat muscles tighten and body tense up, Eiji released his fingers and pulled Ash’s stringy blonde bangs away from the toilet. Ash coughed painfully a few times and then brought up a thick string of bile, panting harshly. 

A few minutes passed and content that the fit had subsided, Eiji brought a wet washcloth to Ash’s face, mopped up the tears and spit residue and then flushed the toilet. 

“Eiji..?” 

Ash spoke up startlingly in a hesitant voice, the complete opposite of his usually cocky bravado. It was almost like he hadn’t expected Eiji to be there. 

“You’re okay” 

Once Ash is helped back to the bedroom and is sat down on the edge of the bed, fresh tears threaten to leak out of his eyes. 

Ash’s voice comes out shakily and quiet, barely above a whisper. 

“I feel so pathetic. Y-you were shot in the side and I… I couldn’t do anything. It was like time had me frozen, you were bleeding out and I-, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t save Skipper or Shorter and I couldn’t save you either”. 

Tears were streaming freely down Ash’s face now and his frame was wracked in full body tremors. Ash looked absolutely wretched. The perfect picture of misery.

Eiji clasped Ash’s hands tightly, personal boundaries be damned and buried his face against Ash’s shoulder.

“Ash, I’m right here.”

Not many words needed to be spoken between them. Just those three simple words alone were enough to bring Ash back down to gravity and pull him out of his nightmare-like delusion. However, Eiji still couldn’t help but bite his lip in concern at the prickly warmth rolling from Ash and how shook up he seemed. He blames it on the fever. Eventually, the unlikely pair end up drifting off in Ash’s bed with Ash curled up in Eiji’s warm embrace with his head tucked into the latter’s broad chest. It seemed funny to Ash, Eiji was shorter and yet snuggled in his warm embrace, Ash felt like the smaller one. He almost felt like the 17-year old he wasn't allowed to be.


	2. Okayu

Dawn ushered in its gentle rays, illuminating the bedroom in soft hues of orange, pink and gold. Eiji stirred briefly and untangled himself carefully from Ash’s limbs; the least he wanted to do was wake the poor boy up after he’d finally settled down to sleep. Eiji was slightly relieved, Ash’s breathing was heavy, but normal. Mildly concerning however, was the bangs that stuck heavy to Ash’s forehead, slick with sweat. 

Eiji felt powerless most of the time, like he was unable to help Ash in any way but today however, he was prepared to nurse Ash back to health at no matter what cost. If it were matters like these, Eiji felt assured that he could help.

He started by making a phone call to his mother and taking precise notes on how to prepare and make traditional Japanese rice porridge. He then searched online for recipes and the best way to serve ginger and honey tea. He almost dithered in calling Ibe and asking for his advice but knew that if Ibe heard that Ash was sick, he’d likely worry too much and make a racket. 

Secondly, he sent Alex, Bones and Kong to go to the local oriental supermarket with a list of specialist ingredients and told them that today, they wouldn’t be taking orders from their boss. Shocked by Eiji’s fearless nature concerning Ash, the young trio quickly sprang into action and almost ran out of the apartment door. On their return, Eiji thanked them and told them not to worry too much about gang duties today. He didn’t specify Ash’s condition but implied that he was taking, or rather, being forced to take a rest day. He’d call them if he needed them. 

It was already mid-morning and Ash’s former headache that he had attributed to stress had merged into one mass of white hot pain. His throat too, felt drier than sand, than bone. As he laid back into the plush pillow and prepared for death to come, Eiji bustled in with a glass of water and a bowl of strange porridge-looking substance. 

Ash coughed briefly, trying to get the words to come out of his throat. What he did manage however, was a raspy croak. 

“What is that?” 

“Okayu” Eiji replied, matter-of-factly. 

“Back in Japan, my mother makes this for me whenever any of us are sick. I phoned her earlier and got her recipe especially – so you better eat it all up”. He gives Ash one of his all-too-fond smirks and places the bowl on the nightstand before sitting down on the side of the bed. Ash responds with a grimace and picks up the accompanying spoon, eyeing the bowl suspiciously. He then starts to use said spoon to prod the food around the bowl, noting its similarity in texture to dreaded natto and feeling his stomach flip at the thought. 

“Does the princess want me to spoon feed her?” 

Ash shook his head vehemently and then plunged a small spoonful of the rice into his mouth. His grimace was quickly replaced with surprise at how easy it was to digest and at the slightly bitter but salty taste of green onions and pickled plum combined. His dull, listless eyes widened and sparkled at the impressive flavour. Just like a polished jade. 

“Hmph. How d’you like that?” Eiji teased. 

Ash pouted, feeling slightly embarrassed about showing such an expression in front of Eiji but continued eating the porridge. In all honesty, he was moved that someone cared so much about him. He was sure that even if the food was nasty, he’d still have eaten it regardless because it was something that Eiji had tenderly prepared for him. 

After he’d finished eating the meal and downed the glass of water greedily, Ash made an impressive effort to get up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Truly, they felt like lead and Ash would’ve liked to get more sleep but there was no time to rest. He needed to get ready and head out to track down information on those who backstabbed him for Arthur. He also wondered where his gang members were – they should’ve been here by now making a racket in the living-room.

“A-Ash, where are you going?”

“To shower. Why? Wanna join?” He raised his eyebrow cockily and sauntered to the bathroom. 

Eiji put his hand on his hip and sighed in mock frustration. He was almost glad that Ash had his usual sardonic sense of humour back, maybe it meant that Eiji had overthought everything and Ash wasn’t feeling as under the weather as he’d assumed. 

Those thoughts were quickly interrupted when amidst the sound of running water from the shower, a large bang resounded followed by a low, drawn out groan.   
Eiji pounded on the bathroom door and called out in a panic. 

“Ash? Ash are you okay?” 

When no response was given, he pushed open the door, feeling glad that Ash hadn’t bothered locking it and gasped at the sight before him. 

Ash was slumped in the bathtub on his knees as water continued to pour from the shower head, his arm resting against his head with a look of pure frustration on his eyes. Water drops falling down his lank blonde strands ran down his face. As soon as he heard the door knob rattle, it seemed he had desperately tried to get up but unsteadily and unsuccessfully collapsed back into a heap. Laying on the bath tiles near him was an opened bottle of shampoo, slowly-but-steadily leaking more of its contents onto the floor. 

Eiji quickly went to turn the shower off and screw the lid back on the bottle when he also noticed something else, Ash was shivering despite the water being almost scalding levels of hot. 

“Oh Ash… Come here”

He chuckled darkly, “I’m pathetic, aren’t I?”

“You’re not”, Eiji assured as he held out his hand to hoist Ash up and wrapped him in several towels. 

He helped him into the bedroom and felt a familiar sense of déjà vu. Only this time, after seating Ash on the edge of the bed, Eiji took a smaller towel and used this to dry Ash’s hair. He rubbed the towel against Ash’s hair so rigorously that when Eiji was sufficiently happy that the locks were completely dry, Ash’s hair looked more like that of a lion’s mane than its usual straightened style. 

And that was what lead up to the current moment with Ash pouting under the covers and Eiji tsk'ing at the sight of the worrying reading from the digital thermometer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Okayu - a traditional Japanese rice porridge dish normally served with umeboshi and negi. Sometimes people will add dashi stock or a miso soup base to create more flavour. It's a food commonly associated with curing sickness in Japan due to it's easy-to-digest nature! I'd like to think that Eiji is the type to try holistic methods and traditional remedies first before administering medicine. 
> 
> I'll probably post the next chapter (and maybe final one?) within the next few days. 
> 
> As for Ash's ailment, it may not be obvious but the symptoms of pain, nausea, weakness etc.. are typical of physical/mental exhaustion. 
> 
> Next chapter: Eiji tries bringing Ash's fever down and Ash's feverish state serves as a truth-serum for his true feelings.


	3. Yuzu

With Ash finally settled back in bed and asleep, Eiji soaked a fresh cotton washcloth into a bowl of moderately cool water and rung out the excess water before swiping it across Ash’s face and placing it firmly on his forehead – hoping to bring down the temperature by even the slightest degree. His touch lingered and gently caressed the soft curvature of Ash’s cheek to which Ash leaned against, cradling the touch even in his comatose state. With a soft sigh, Eiji pulled back.

“Oh, Ash…” He murmured, looking over at the figure in bed with a wave of sympathy.

Just then, Alex walked in.

“How’s boss?”

“As long as he gets some sleep he should be alright” Eiji replied.

With nothing much else to do other than keep watch over Ash and periodically replace the cool cloth, Eiji pulled over a chair and sat by Ash’s bedside. To occupy himself he took out a copy of his dog-eared and battered ‘American-English’ textbook he brought from Japan and began to look over some slang terms – hoping to impress Ash and the gang with relevant terms such as ‘hype’ and ‘to be zonked’.

A few hours passed, and Ash awoke to the sound of gentle breathing almost tickling his ear; surprised to see Eiji resting on the side of the bed with his arms folded, textbook haphazardly down on its spine. The sight was almost enough to put a smile on the corner of his lips but instead, a jolt of dull pain in the front of his skull made him cringe up momentarily. Eiji stirred and began to rub his eyes sleepily.

“…Ash?”

“Eiji” Ash responded, watching Eiji blink a few times before clarification washed over his features.

“Ah! Ash you’re awake! How are you feeling?”

Ash cringed again at the loud, energetic tone of Eiji’s voice. “Too noisy!!”

“Sorry” Eiji whispered.

“So, how are you feeling?” He spoke again, this time in a hushed whisper.

In truth, Ash felt like hell. His limbs ached, and his head throbbed with every tiny movement and he couldn’t fathom whether he was either too hot or too cold. Not even mentioning the damp, discomforting feeling of his clothes peeled to his skin. He’d rather take a gunshot wound over this misery. At least with gun shots, he was used to them.

“I’m just fine” He managed through chattering lips.

“We should probably get you out of those clothes and into something warmer”, Eiji pointed out gesturing at the ensemble Ash was currently wearing; basic T-shirt and an old pair of jogging bottoms.

Leaving no room for complaints, Eiji started pulling out various sweatshirts and garments he’d brought from Japan with him, feeling the fabric of each garment to test the softness, discarding the rejects carelessly on the floor.

“Ah, I found it!” Eiji exclaimed to himself.

He held up a disgustingly gaudy over-sized pullover, emblazoned with a horribly tacky penguin on the front and hurdled it at Ash. Eiji seemed to have a lot of clothes with this same character on them.

Ash simply looked at the offending garment with a look of pure disgust.

“Oi Eiji… Do you really expect me to wear this…?” He muffled a cough in his shoulder.

Eiji wouldn’t take no for an answer and started helping Ash take his shirt off. This wasn’t the first time Eiji had seen Ash’s bare torso, but each time he did he couldn’t help but marvel in how just a boy of seventeen could have such slender but heavily toned body. Despite Eiji being heavily athletic from a young age, he even felt his muscular frame couldn’t compare to Ash’s in terms of aesthetic appeal. Eiji hesitantly grazed his hand over Ash’s abdomen and was startled by how damp, clammy and hot his skin felt. Changing tactics, Eiji wandered over to the bathroom, grabbing the bowl of now-temperate water with him and returned with fresh cool water and clean cloth in hand.

Ash hissed in shock when the damp cloth made contact with his bare skin and pulled back.

“What are you doing now?”

“If we leave your body like this, the sweat will make you feel more chilled.”

“Ah… Is that so?”

Reluctantly; and as embarrassed as Ash felt, he let Eiji continue running the damp cloth down his torso and back, making sure to wipe down his arms too. The cool sensation in contrast to his burning skin felt too relieving to describe in words.

In the past, whenever Ash was ill under the care of Dino, Dino had made sure that only the best-of-best medical professionals attend to him. It wasn’t out of care or duty however, but rather, an obligation to keep his ‘toy’ intact and functioning enough to be of use. Compared to the cold hands and cool stares of medical professionals, Ash felt much at ease with Eiji. Maybe it was because in this relatively-plain Japanese boy he felt a genuine sense of compassion, of trust, of love.     

Ash even allowed Eiji to clothe him in the over-sized monstrosity of fabric. He didn’t want to admit it, but the pullover carried the faint scent of Eiji (fresh cotton and citrus-y yuzu nodes), and was surprisingly warm and snug.  

“Eiji… thank you..”

Eiji simply beamed back and started to head out of the bedroom.

“Rest well, Ash”.

“..for not leaving my side…” Ash continued, in a quiet whisper not intended to be heard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting!... Life has been rather hectic with end-of-semester happenings and various other things! I may post an additional chapter to this when I find the time but for now I feel it has a sense of completeness. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything in over 2 years, certainly not in English anyway. I dislike using epithets so I'm sorry if my writing seems confusing or repetitive at times! 
> 
> This is kind of self-indulgent. I still haven't decided how many chapters/words this will possibly have but I have a mighty need for these two boys taking care of each other and soft moments between the two. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
